The Chronicles of Perseus - the Cursed Wanderer
by Jess2708
Summary: Legends tell of a mighty hero, cursed to wander through time. Separated from the ones he loves, cursed by someone divine. Never living, never dying, he never looks the same. And no-one who meets this man will ever learn his name. Percy Jackson was cursed by Kronos. This is the story of how he breaks the curse.


**This idea has been bugging me for ages, so I just had to write it down. As I'm currently writing a different story priority goes to that. I will update this though, just probably not for a while.**

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**Diary of Percy Jackson – 2, Entry 1: **Hi, my name is Percy Jackson. I never actually thought I would ever keep a diary; I mean with dyslexia and all, and I always thought it wasn't something boys do, plus Travis and Conner would probably steal it. But here I am so I guess anything can happen. Who knew I could use Riptide (my sword) to actually write this thing? Anyway, I used to have a normal life. Well, I never had a normal life, but for a demigod my life was pretty… Actually, forget all that. The important thing is my life was good. I liked my life. It was all pretty boring until I was twelve, (you know normal ADHD and dyslexic kid who get kicked out of every school he goes to) when I found out I was the only (living) demigod son of Poseidon. That was when things got interesting. Fast forward four years later, and I'm facing off against Kronos, the evil king of the titans (long story), who was in the form of my ex-friend Luke (longer story) with my two best things Annabeth and Grover, and that's where things went wrong…

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**Mount Olympus, NY. August 18, 2009 – Day 0:** If Kronos evolved into his true form, there would be no stopping him. He would make Typhon look like a playground bully.

The line from the great prophecy echoed in my head: _A hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap._ My

whole world tipped upside down, and I gave the knife to Luke.

Grover yelped. "Percy? Are you . . . um . . ."

Crazy. Insane. Off my rocker. Probably.

But I watched as Luke grasped the hilt. I stood before him—defenseless.

He unlatched the side straps of his armor, exposing a small bit of his skin just under his left arm, a

place that would be very hard to hit. With difficulty, he stabbed himself.

It wasn't a deep cut, but Luke howled. His eyes glowed like lava. The throne room shook, throwing

me off my feet. An aura of energy surrounded Luke, growing brighter and brighter. Luke screamed in agony, his voice slowly changing back to the guttural roar of Kronos. He was screaming in greek and I could just decipher what he was saying.

"_PERSEUS . . . JACKSON . . . I CURSE YOU . . . WITH MY FINAL BREATH I CURSE YOU . . . You will walk the earth separated from your friends; displaced in time, wandering for eternity._"

That wasn't exactly what he was saying, but you get the gist of it. At the time I wasn't entirely sure what it meant and since nothing seemed to happen, I brushed it off as pre-death insanity on Kronos' part.

I know, I know, I was being completely stupid, but hey, I just wanted it all to end; Kronos, the prophecy, everything.

After that I closed my eyes because Kronos was starting to grow a bit _too _bright for my taste. I felt a force, like a nuclear explosion, blister my skin and crack my lips.

It was silent for a long time.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Luke sprawled in front of the hearth. Backbiter or the scythe or whatever you want to call it, was melting into the hearth, which was now glowing like a blacksmith's fire. Luke's left side was bloody. His eyes were open—blue eyes, the way they used to be. His breath was a deep rattle.

"Good . . . blade," he croaked.

I knelt next to him. Annabeth limped over with Grover's support. They both had tears in their eyes.

Luke gazed at Annabeth. "You knew. I almost killed you, but you knew . . ."

"Shhh." Her voice trembled. "You were a hero at the end, Luke. You'll go to Elysium."

He shook his head weakly. "Think . . . rebirth. Try for three times. Isles of the Blest."

Annabeth sniffled. "You always pushed yourself too hard."

He held up his charred hand. Annabeth touched his fingertips.

"Did you . . ." Luke coughed and his lips glistened red. "Did you love me?"

Annabeth wiped her tears away. "There was a time I thought . . . well, I thought . . ." She looked at me, like she was drinking in the fact that I was still here. And I realized I was doing the same thing. The world was collapsing, and the only thing that really mattered to me was that she was alive.

"You were like a brother to me, Luke," she said softly. "But I didn't love you."

He nodded, as if he'd expected it. He winced in pain.

"We can get ambrosia," Grover said. "We can—"

"Grover," Luke gulped. "You're the bravest satyr I ever knew. But no. There's no healing. . . ." Another cough.

He gripped my sleeve, and I could feel the heat of his skin like a fire. "Ethan. Me. All the unclaimed. Don't let it . . . Don't let it happen again."

His eyes were angry, but pleading too.

"I won't," I said. "I promise."

Luke nodded, and his hand went slack.

The gods arrived a few minutes later in their full war regalia, thundering into the throne room and expecting a battle.

What they found were Annabeth, Grover, and me standing over the body of a broken half-blood, in the dim warm light of the hearth.

"Percy," my father called, awe in his voice. "What . . . what is this?"

I turned and faced the Olympians.

"We need a shroud," I announced, my voice cracking. "A shroud for the son of Hermes."

I know what you're thinking – Hey, your life seems okay, you just beat the bad guy; didn't you say that everything went horrible?  
Well yeah, for the next few hours everything was perfect. I was a hero; I was alive; we won the war; and I was ninety-five percent sure that Annabeth liked me. Yeah, things were great. The gods gave us gifts – Annabeth became the official architect of Olympus (pretty much her life's dream), Grover became a council member (cloven elders) and the lord of the Wild, Tyson got a big stick and Thalia was guaranteed that all the hunters that died would achieve Elysium. Everything was all fine and dandy, but then it was my turn…

"PERCY JACKSON!" Poseidon announced. My name echoed around the chamber.

All talking died down. The room was silent except for the crackle of the hearth fire. Everyone's eyes were on me—all the gods, the demigods, the Cyclopes, the spirits. I walked into the middle of the throne room. Hestia smiled at me reassuringly. She was in the form of a girl now, and she seemed happy and content to be sitting by her fire again. Her smile gave me courage to keep walking.

First I bowed to Zeus. Then I knelt at my father's feet.

"Rise, my son," Poseidon said.

I stood uneasily.

"A great hero must be rewarded," Poseidon said. "Is there anyone here who would deny that my son is deserving?"

I waited for someone to pipe up. The gods never agreed on anything, and many of them still didn't

like me, but not a single one protested.

"The Council agrees," Zeus said. "Percy Jackson, you will have one gift from the gods."

I hesitated. "Any gift?"

Zeus nodded grimly. "I know what you will ask. The greatest gift of all. Yes, if you want it, it shall be yours. The gods have not bestowed this gift on a mortal hero in many centuries, but, Perseus Jackson—if you wish it—you shall be made a god. Immortal. Undying. You shall serve as your father's lieutenant for all time."

I stared at him, stunned. "Um . . . a god?"

Zeus rolled his eyes. "A dimwitted god, apparently. But yes. With the consensus of the entire

Council, I can make you immortal. Then I will have to put up with you forever."

"Hmm," Ares mused. "That means I can smash him to a pulp as often as I want, and he'll just keep coming back for more. I like this idea."

"I approve as well," Athena said, though she was looking at Annabeth.

I glanced back. Annabeth was trying not to meet my eyes. Her face was pale. I flashed back to two

years ago, when I'd thought she was going to take the pledge to Artemis and become a Hunter. I'd been on the edge of a panic attack, thinking that I'd lose her. Now, she looked pretty much the same way.

I thought about the Three Fates, and the way I'd seen my life flash by. I could avoid all that. No

aging, no death, no body in the grave. I could be a teenager forever, in top condition, powerful, and immortal, serving my father. I could have power and eternal life. My head started to hurt just thinking about it.

Who could refuse that?

Then I looked at Annabeth again. I thought about my friends from camp: Charles Beckendorf,

Michael Yew, Silena Beauregard, so many others who were now dead. I thought about Ethan Nakamura and Luke.

And I knew what to do.

"No," I said.

The Council was silent. The gods frowned at each other like they must have misheard.

"No?" Zeus said. "You are . . . turning _down _our generous gift?"

There was a dangerous edge to his voice, like a thunderstorm about to erupt. My head was really hurting now, as if there was a needle jabbed right above my right eye.

"I'm honored and everything," I said. "Don't get me wrong. It's just . . . I've got a lot of life left to live.

I'd hate to peak in my sophomore year."

The gods were glaring at me, but Annabeth had her hands over her mouth. Her eyes were shining.

And that kind of made up for it.

"I do want a gift, though," I said. "Do you promise to grant my wish?"

Zeus thought about this. "If it is within our power."

"It is," I said. "And it's not even difficult. But I need your promise on the River Styx."

"What?" Dionysus cried. "You don't trust us?"

"Someone once told me," I said, looking at Hades, "you should always get a solemn oath."

Hades shrugged. "Guilty."

"Very well!" Zeus growled. "In the name of the Council, we swear by the River Styx to grant your

_reasonable _request as long as it is within our power."

The other gods muttered assent. Thunder boomed, shaking the throne room. The deal was made.

"From now on, I want to you properly recognize the children of the gods," I said. "All the children . . . of _all _the gods."

The Olympians shifted uncomfortably.

"Percy," my father said, "what exactly do you mean?"

"Kronos couldn't have risen if it hadn't been for a lot of demigods who felt abandoned by their

parents," I said. "They felt angry, resentful, and unloved, and they had a good reason."

Zeus's royal nostrils flared. "You dare accuse—"

"No more undetermined children," I said. "I want you to promise to claim your children—all your

demigod children—by the time they turn thirteen. They won't be left out in the world on their own at the mercy of monsters. I want them claimed and brought to camp so they can be trained right, and survive."

"Now, wait just a moment," Apollo said, but I was on a roll.

"And the minor gods," I said. "Nemesis, Hecate, Morpheus, Janus, Hebe-—they all deserve a general amnesty and a place at Camp Half-Blood. Their children shouldn't be ignored. Calypso and the other peaceful Titan-kind should be pardoned too. And Hades—"

"Are you calling me a _minor god_?" Hades bellowed.

"No, my lord," I said quickly. "But your children should not be left out. They should have a cabin at

camp. Nico has proven that. No unclaimed demigods will be crammed into the Hermes cabin anymore, wondering who their parents are. They'll have their own cabins, for all the gods. And no more pact of the Big Three. That didn't work anyway. You've got to stop trying to get rid of powerful demigods. We're going to train them and accept them instead. All children of the gods will be welcome and treated with respect. That is my wish."

Zeus snorted. "Is that all?"

"Percy," Poseidon said, "you ask much. You presume much."

"I hold you to your oath," I said. "All of you."  
Now my headache was officially the worst I'd ever had.

I got a lot of steely looks. Strangely, it was Athena who spoke up: "The boy is correct. We have been unwise to ignore our children. It proved a strategic weakness in this war and almost caused our destruction. Percy Jackson, I have had my doubts about you, but perhaps"—she glanced at Annabeth, and then spoke as if the words had a sour taste—"perhaps I was mistaken. I move that we accept the boy's plan."

"Humph," Zeus said. "Being told what to do by a mere child. But I suppose . . ."

"All in favor," Hermes said.

All the gods raised their hands. That needle in my head was definitely white-hot now.

"Um, thanks," I said.

I turned to leave and that was when it happened…

Annabeth noticed it first.  
"Er, Percy," she said "your hands are glowing."  
"What?" I asked, glancing down at my hands.  
She was right. My hands were glowing; small golden flecks – like little grains of sand – were rising off my hands. Not only that, but they were hot too, as if the glow was burning them away.  
"What is this?" I mumbled.  
Nobody answered, because nobody knew.

Then as the heat spread across my body I heard the echo of Kronos. "_I curse you . . . You will walk the earth separated from your friends; displaced in time, wandering for eternity._" "Oh, Styx," I exclaimed, "the curse!"  
Annabeth gasped. "Oh gods, Percy we should have done something…"  
"WHAT CURSE?" Poseidon thundered.

I think everyone started talking at once – demigods panicking, you know that sort of thing. I didn't hear what they were saying though. I was too busy screaming in agony.  
I collapsed onto my hands and knees, the pain was overwhelming now. My headache was worse too. My eyesight had a golden tinge to it and was starting to blur. I looked at Annabeth, who (like most people in the room) was standing deathly still with a disbelieving expression on her face. "Annabeth . . ." I managed to croak out. That seemed to snap everyone of out their shock.  
She knelt down next to me. "Percy . . . Oh gods, Percy . . . Don't worry, we can fix this . . . We . . . We can get Hecate or someone . . . Oh, Percy it's all going to–"  
"Hey, Dad" I rasped. Poseidon had shrunk down to human size and was now kneeling on my other side. "Percy, you're my strongest child and the most powerful demigod in millennia, you can fight this," he pleaded with me. His words did encourage me. I mean, when you're a demigod, you don't see your immortal parent often, much less receive praise. But deep down I knew it was hopeless, Kronos had cursed me as his final act (which I knew meant something important), and now I had to pay the price.  
"A . . . Annabeth . . ." I looked at her again, reaching out and touching her cheek with my glowing, pulsing hand, not caring what anyone heard. "I . . . I love you."  
There were tears in her eyes now. She brought her hand to mine and choked out, "I love you too, Percy"  
Then it ended. Well the pain ended, at least. I'm not sure, but I think I exploded, in like, a blast of that golden light. I couldn't see, well I could but everything was gold and the only thing I could hear was the echo of the curse. And then I fell.

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_Legends tell of a mighty hero, cursed to wander through time.  
Separated from the ones he loves, cursed by someone divine.  
Never living, never dying, he never looks the same.  
And no-one who meets this man will ever learn his name._

– Poem, Unknown Author.

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**Mt. Olympus, NY. Still Day 0: **In the throne room of Olympus it was silent, except for the whimpers of a teenage girl. The event that had taken place had rendered everyone, even the Olympian gods speechless. It was cruel, Apollo thought, to destroy a hero, so soon after he had completed his major prophecy.  
Athena got off her throne and shrank down to comfort her daughter.  
"He isn't dead," Hades finally broke the silence, "His spirit isn't in the underworld."  
"Well, then where is he? WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SON?" Poseidon roared, his eyes glistening the earth below beginning to shake.  
"Poseidon, please," Athena cut in, "New York has been through enough today."  
The waves in Poseidon's eyes subsided, and the tremors stopped It was a sign of how distraught he was that he didn't even pause to argue with Athena.  
"I am not sure what happened to Percy, he said something about a curse?" Athena questioned.  
"He was . . . Kronos . . . Kronos cursed Percy, after Luke stabbed himself." Annabeth answered wiping her eyes.  
"What exactly did Kronos say, Annabeth?"  
He said . . . He said '_with my final breath I curse you. You will walk the earth separated from your friends; displaced in time, wandering for eternity.' _But nothing happened after that , so I thought perhaps he had run out of power."  
"So Percy is still alive? Where is he? He is not in my domain. What does wandering for eternity mean?" Poseidon questioned Athena.  
Athena only shook her head. "I don't know"  
Apollo spoke up, "Hey, does anyone else have a headache? Actually my memories are getting a little fuzzy."  
"What do you mean fuzzy?" Artemis asked her twin.  
"I don't know sis. Something happened in the civil war – something important – something I've forgotten about."  
"Yes, now that you mention it, I can't quite remember something," Hephaestus piped up.  
Everyone was silent for a while until Zeus finally spoke up, "We should all rest, we have done well and Olympus is saved. Percy will not be found by everyone crowding the throne room. Those who wish to help find Percy may return tomorrow, when our minds are fresh. Demigods, return to Camp Half-Blood."  
"Yes, Father is right," Athena said, "There is nothing we can do for Percy now until we research what happened to him."  
Not wishing to disobey the king of the gods, the room slowly emptied, as all the demigods, Cyclopes and satyrs left Olympus.

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**Diary of Percy Jackson – 2, Entry 1 (cont.): **And that was my sixteenth birthday. I never even had a cake. My life changed forever that day. I got cursed by Kronos and confessed my love for Annabeth and discovered time travel is possible. Now, I'm stuck here, and I probably won't see Annabeth again or Grover or Tyson or my mom. I wonder if she even knows what happened to me. To top it all off, we're at war! Again! Well then, if you're reading this, welcome to my private thoughts, please put my diary back when you're done. Strap yourselves in, because my story is a pretty wild ride!


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